Cruising "the Internets" today for the latest food news and trends, I have found these tasty morsels for you. Some good news and some not so good.
The last two items will bring a smile to your face: perhaps almost as big as the news from the Obama camp!
Bangladesh: Potato bumper harvest brings misery rather than smile to Bangladeshi farmer:
Dhaka, May 5, 2008 Although Bangladesh is gifted with bumper harvest of potato this year, it is bringing more misery than smile to 15 million potato growers. After loss in rice production due to twice floods and cyclone SIDR last year, the farmers produced 8 million tons of potatoes on 500,000 hectares of land. Director General (Seed Wing) of Agriculture Ministry Anwar Faruq told reporters Monday that the bumper production of potatoes could be possible due to hard labor of farmers. He said the country produced on average 5 million tons of potatoes in the past few years, but this year the production hit record high of 8 million tons. Potato growers are puzzled with this bumper production as they have not adequate cold storages to preserve the potatoes.
Getting your Fat Facts Right:
Responding to growing public concern about trans-fats, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has issued today a fat profile survey of 100 common pre-packaged foods on Irish supermarket shelves (this survey of course does concern the world over since most products analyzed are manufactured around the globe) Read the pdf here. It makes interesting reading.
ECC okays 250,000 tonnes wheat import:
Islamabad: the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet on Tuesday approved the import of 250,000 tonnes of wheat to bridge the gap between supply and demand in the country. Chaired by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, the ECC meeting approved the import of wheat, as international prices are showing a downward trend this year. 50,000 tonnes: The prime minister directed the meeting that export of wheat to Afghanistan should be undertaken on a government-to-government level only and approved the export of 50,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan.
Wheat Crop Failures Could be Total, Experts Warn:
On top of record-breaking rice prices and corn through the roof on ethanol demand, wheat is now rusting in the fields across Africa. Officials fear near total crop losses, and the fungus, known as Ug99, is spreading. Wheat prices have been soaring this week on top of already high prices, and futures contracts spiked, too, on panic buying. Experts fear the cost of bread could soon follow the path of rice, the price of which has triggered riots in some countries and prompted countries to cut off exports.
New campaign to ban food colorants:
A CAMPAIGN is underway by doctors to phase out and ban artificial food colorants and flavorings from processed foods and drinks for children. Recent research has linked these with hyperactivity in children. Professor Vyvyan Howard, a toxicologist at the University of Ulster, and president of the International Society of Doctors for the Environment, said they were backing the call. He said:
"These chemicals have no nutritional value. A number of the colourants are, in fact, dyes made from coal tar. On a purely precautionary basis, they should be discontinued".
Eating tomatoes is the best way to avoid sunburn and wrinkles:
Eating pizza topped with tomato paste can help prevent sunburn and premature wrinkles, new research suggests. A study found that volunteers who ate helpings of ordinary tomato paste over a 12-week period developed skin that was less likely to burn in the sun. Researchers at the University of Manchester found that the test subjects were 33 per cent more protected against sunlight than another group who were not given tomato paste.
FDA Completes Final Analysis of "Total Body Formula" and "Total Body Mega Formula" Products:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s final analysis of certain flavors of "Total Body Formula" and "Total Body Mega Formula" has detected hazardous amounts of chromium. On April 9, 2008, the FDA reported the dietary supplement products contained hazardous amounts of selenium in samples of "Total Body Formula" in Tropical Orange and Peach Nectar flavors and "Total Body Mega Formula" in the Orange/Tangerine flavor. Further FDA analysis of the products found high levels of chromium as well. The samples contained up to 3,426 micrograms of chromium for the recommended serving (17 times the recommended intake). The recommended chromium intake for an adult ranges from 35 to 45 micrograms per day.
Wonderful Pomegranate Now In Liquid Form A Healthful Addition to Fruit Recipes:
Gaining in popularity as one of nature’s superfruits, the healthful goodness of Wonderful Pomegranates is now available in convenient teaspoon-full quantities, changing the usual 8 ounce serving of juice to one easy swallow.
Romantic Bridal Shower Party Favors Offered By Wedding Gifts Specialist
May 05, 2008 – Margo Saunders, CEO of EdibleGiftsPlus.com, has some great ideas to create a truly scrumptious event.
Margo says to set the edible tone from the start with your invitations. Imagine how excited your family and friends will be to open a beautiful gourmet cookie with your wedding shower invitation and even a personal photograph printed right on it.
"Just remember", Margo says, "a paper copy of the invitation should also be included, because these cookies are just too good to sit around until after the wedding party."
Didn't they taunt us in the eighties with edible underwear???